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Procedure for Recalling State and Local Officials

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Procedure for Recalling State and Local Officials Procedures for Recalling State and Local Officials Prepared by the Oice of the Secretary of State Revised 2020 Preface Recall is the power of the voters to remove elected officials before their terms expire. It has been a fundamental part of our governmental system since 1911 and has been used by voters to express their dissatisfaction with their elected representatives. This publication examines the law of recall as it applies to state and local officials. In some ways, the procedures that apply to the recall of state officials are different from those that apply to local officials. Therefore, this publication is divided into separate parts to help avoid confusion. Be sure to check the Table of Contents to ensure you are referencing the proper procedure. Please note that the procedures described herein do not apply to federal officers. Federal officers are not subject to recall. The removal of U.S. Representatives or U.S. Senators is governed by the United States Constitution, Article 1, Sec. 5 (2), which states "Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member." The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States are removed through the process of "impeachment" which is governed by the United States Constitution. This Guide is designed to reflect all current laws, regulations, and rules that pertain to recall, but it does not have the force and effect of law, regulation, or rule. Therefore, in the unlikely event there is a conflict between the Guide and a law, regulation, or rule, the law, regulation, or rule shall take precedence. Before beginning any recall effort, the proponents should obtain the most up-to-date information available. Revised January 2020 Table of Contents Chapter I. General Recall Provisions Recall In General .................................................................................................. 1 Chapter II. Recall of State Officers Preliminary Steps .................................................................................................................................. 3 Prepare the Recall Petition ............................................................................................................... 5 Determine the Number of Signatures Required ...................................................................10 Circulate the Recall Petition ...........................................................................................................10 Filing the Petition - Deadline………………………………. ................................... 11 Duties of the County Elections Official ..……………………….……………………11 Duties of the Secretary of State .......................................................................... 12 Duties of the Department of Finance and Joint Legislative Budget Committee……………………………………………………………………12 Only Proponents May Examine Petition ............................................................. 13 Notice of Recall Election ..................................................................................... 13 Election ............................................................................................................... 13 Chapter III. Recall of Local Officers Preliminary Steps ............................................................................................... 14 Prepare the Recall Petition ................................................................................. 15 Determine the Number of Signatures Required .................................................. 21 Circulate the Recall Petition................................................................................ 21 Filing of Petition - Deadline ................................................................................. 22 Examination by the Elections Official .................................................................. 23 Only Proponents May Examine Petition ............................................................. 24 Notice of Recall Election ..................................................................................... 24 Election ............................................................................................................... 24 Chapter IV. The Recall Election State Officer........................................................................................................ 25 Local Officer ....................................................................................................... 26 In General ........................................................................................................... 26 Special Considerations ....................................................................................... 27 Chapter V. Exhibits Exhibit A. Notice of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition Exhibit B. Proof of Personal Service Exhibit C. Proof of Service by Certified Mail Exhibit D. Petition for Recall Format Chapter I General Recall Provisions Recall in General Recall is the power of the voters to remove an elective officer. (Cal.Const., Art. II, Secs. 13-19; Elections Code § 11000 et seq.) Any state officer may be recalled. These include the elected offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Controller, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner, Members of the State Board of Equalization, State Legislators, and Justices of Courts of Appeal and the State Supreme Court. A State officer appointed in lieu of election or to fill a vacancy in one of these offices may also be recalled. (Elections Code §§ 11001, 11006) The State Constitution requires that the Legislature must provide for the recall of local officers. This provision, however, does not affect counties and cities whose charters provide for recall. (Cal. Const., Art. II, Sec. 19) A "local officer" is defined as an elective officer of a city, county, school district, community college district, or special district, or a judge of a trial court. (Elections Code §§ 11001, 11004) For the purpose of recall of local officers, the term "clerk" refers to the appropriate elections official for the jurisdiction in which the recall is being sought, in particular: 1. The county elections official (the County Clerk or Registrar of Voters) in the case of the recall of elective officers of a county, school district, county board of education, community college district, or resident voting district, and judges of trial courts. 2. The city clerk in the case of the recall of elective officers of a city; or 3. The secretary of the governing board in case of the recall of elective officers of a landowner voting district or any district in which, at a regular election, candidates’ nomination papers are filed with the secretary of the governing board. (Elections Code §§ 307, 311, 11002) "Governing Board" includes a city council, the board of supervisors of a county, the board of trustees of a school district or community college district, or the legislative body of a special district. In the case of the recall of a trial court judge "governing board" means the board of supervisors. (Elections Code § 11003) 1 Recall proceedings may not be commenced against an officer of a city, county, special district, school district, community college district, or county board of education if: (a) The officer has not held office during the current term for more than 90 days, (b) A recall election has been determined in the officer's favor within the last six months, or (c) The officer's term ends within six months or less. These limitations do not apply to an officer appointed in lieu of an election pursuant to Elections Code section 10229(a)(2). (Elections Code § 11007) The “proponents” of the recall are those voters who initiate the recall proceedings and have control of circulating and obtaining signatures to the recall petition. All of the required proponents of a recall must be registered voters who, based on their residence, are qualified to vote for the office of the officer they seek to recall. (Elections Code §§ 322, 11005) 2 Chapter II Recall of State Officers Preliminary Steps The Notice of Intention To begin recall proceedings against a state officer, the recall proponents must serve, file, and publish or post a notice of intention to circulate a recall petition. (Elections Code § 11006) Prepare the Notice of Intention The proponents should ensure that the notice of intention complies with California law. If a notice of intention is found to be deficient, the proponents will be required to prepare a new notice of intention, including the collection of signatures. The notice of intention must contain: (a) The name and title of the officer sought to be recalled. (b) A statement, not over two hundred words in length, of the reasons for the recall. A reason must be provided, but under Article II, Section 14(a) of the California Constitution, the sufficiency of this reason is not reviewable. (c) The printed name, signature, and residence address, including street and number, city, and ZIP Code, of each proponent of the recall. If a proponent cannot receive mail at their residence address, the notice of intention must also contain a mailing address for the proponent. The number of proponents that sign the notice of intention must be at least 10 or equal to the number of signatures required to be filed on the nomination paper of the officer sought to be recalled, whichever is greater. (d) The text of
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